Donald Trump is going to make his maiden India visit since he became the US President in 2016. During the two-day visit, February 24-25, a mega-event named ‘Namaste Trump’ has been organised at the newly-built world’s largest cricket stadium – Motera Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Trump will be hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and this visit is being considered highly significant as it is Trump’s first visit to India as the US President.
While a lot is being said about the event, it has already created a controversy after the government set up a wall, apparently to hide a slum by the roadside. There are also reports claiming that eviction notices have been sent to residents of the slum. The Opposition parties vehemently targeted Modi and his government over this.
Also read: Donald Trump's tweet on Ayushmann Khurrana's 'Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan' leaves tweeple stunned
Nonetheless, keeping the controversies aside, there are a number of other things that we can expect from Trump’s India visit.
Heavy security: Massive security will be deployed in and around Delhi, where he will first land, and Ahmedabad to ensure a smooth visit for the US President. According to reports, a multi-tier security arrangement has been planned that comprises Delhi Police, US Secret Service and other Indian agencies like NSG. The security is expected to be even tighter on his Gujarat visit.
Mammoth crowd: A massive crowd is expected to welcome Trump in Ahmedabad. The PM had earlier said that around 50-70 lakh people are expected to line-up along the route from Ahmedabad airport to Motera Stadium. However, the city’s Municipal Commissioner has estimated a far lesser number of around one lakh. Nonetheless, anything around one lakh is a huge crowd and that is certainly going to make Trump pleased.
Seal a deal: While Trump recently said that he will save a “big trade deal” with India for the future, he and Modi are likely to seal some other significant deals. According to LiveMint, his visit will be marked by finalisation of multiple deals on the defence, trade and energy front.
Back-patting: A lot of words of appreciation are expected from both Modi and Trump for each other during the event. An instance of the same was witnessed when Trump recently said that he likes Modi. Both political leaders are expected to do a lot of back-patting.
Opposition’s glare: The Opposition leaders will be highly watchful about finding any possible point on which they can criticise Modi. While they have already been targeting the government for the “wall”, the Opposition will leave no chance to take a dig at the ruling party.